Professional Gal: Muhga Eltigani of NaturAll Club

September 28, 2017

I don’t know about you, but I would say that making the Forbes 30 under 30 is a pretty big achievement, and our #ProfessionalGal Muhga Eltigani has done just that. She forewent her law school plans to work on her startup; a line of all natural deep conditioning hair masks. Now co-founder and CEO of NaturAll Club, Muhga runs a subscription-based service that delivers organic hair products right to your door, including their #1 seller the avocado hair mask.

It all started out of personal necessity. “I actually started making my own hair products in college because commercial products were causing damage to my hair.” Mugha decided to share her “hair journey” on YouTube, where she picked up quite a following. It wasn’t long before followers were asking for her hair products. It was at this point she realized what she wanted to do, become an entrepreneur.

We recently caught up with Muhga Eltigani to pick her brain on running a company, her success and how she balances it all. Here’s what she had to say.

How would you describe yourself?

I would describe myself as passionate, assertive, kind, and a go-getter. I’m a supporter of everyone who is passionate about a good cause.

What tips would you give to yourself at the beginning of your career, given what you know now?

It’s easy to feel discouraged when you’re thinking about launching a new venture, but understanding that “there are no adults” would have helped me stay encouraged and persevere. We tend to think that adults have it all together, but in reality, everyone is learning, exploring and growing. This is especially true in the world of startups.

What would you say is the most important aspect that goes into building a successful business or a brand?

Successful businesses are built on hard work and big dreams. It’s a simple equation, but definitely not an easy one!

How do you deal with setbacks that occur in running your business?

Every setback is a learning opportunity. When I encounter setbacks, I explore them and analyze where things went wrong. This way things go better in the future.

What do you do when you are unsure about a future business move?

I’m very methodical. I will list all of my different options along with their pros and cons, and then I’ll choose the one that makes the most sense and go for it. It’s better done than perfect.

What would you tell a woman interested in making the leap to entrepreneurship?

My word of advice is just to start. When you have an idea for a business or a product, making that first move to start is the hardest thing. You’re afraid of failing or you’re just waiting for that ‘perfect time,’ and I think as women we’ve also been taught to be more cautious and less sure of ourselves. But you’ll never move if you wait because there will never be a perfect moment. You need to just make the jump.

How do you achieve work-life balance?

I’ve adopted a couple of strategies to maintain work-life balance. I motivate myself to work efficiently during the day so I can have free time in the evenings. I make plans to do things outside of work, like spending time with friends or going to non-work events. Once they’re on my calendar, I make sure to honor those commitments the same way I would honor meetings for work. I also schedule one weekend a month to do absolutely no work. As an entrepreneur, you work a lot on weekends, so I have to set aside some time for myself that I won’t compromise on.

What is your go-to piece of professional workwear?

I usually go with a blazer and jeans. The blazer makes me feel confident and strong, and the jeans keep me feeling like myself- even when I’m out of my comfort zone. If I’m around the office, my go-to is a comfy cardigan.

What song do you listen to when you need a confidence boost?

I love Thunder by Imagine Dragons.

Do you have a saying or motto you live by?

“The harder you work, the luckier you become.”

Who is your role model, and why?

It sounds cliche, but my mom will always be my role model. I got to watch her transition from being a stay-at-home mom to going back to school and finally becoming a doctor. So many people assume they can’t advance in their careers or start something new once they start raising children, but my mom showed so much persistence. Her determination inspired me to move forward and start my own business, and when I feel like I have a lot on my plate with NaturAll Club, I just think of her going back to school while raising four kids.

Where do you see your company in the next 5 years?

NaturAll Club is making products unlike anything else on the market because we only use natural and fresh ingredients. We’re scaling up this year, and five years from now I see us being a global CPG leader in natural beauty products.

Want to try Muhga Eltigani’s NaturAll Club deep conditioning avocado hair mask? For a limited time, use promo code NCxSUITABLEYOU to receive 15% off your entire online purchase of NaturAll Club hair products.